How to Create Line Brushes in Illustrator

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Brush Categories: Line and Shape

I have divided brushes into two categories: one is line brushes the other is shape brushes.

A shape brush is applied to shapes. It helps to achieve different effects depending on the shape its applied to. For example, you will achieve a different effect when applied to a circle, square, star, or rectangle. You can also effect the stroke size. An example would be: The Complexity Brushes.

A line brush is applied to a straight or a curved line and you can manage its shape by modifying the line. Visit the tutorial How to Make Funky Illustrative Backgrounds and Flourishes, for an example of a creative use of this technique.

This tutorial will discuss line brushes, how to design them, and apply them creatively. Let's get to it! First download the sample brushes for reference: line_brushes.zip (74kb, 1 brush file).

Creating a Line Brush

A line brush doesn't have to be a line. It can be an effect or a design in itself which can be applied multiple times. Newbies don't get confused here. You will understand this concept by the end of the tutorial. Lets start by creating a simple stroke brush. Stroke brushes help give your line more expression. Illustrator lacks the ability to use pressure points like Painter or similar drawing software. Stroke brushes can emulate this pressure.

Start by creating a small circle. Click on one of the lower points and drag it down. Adjust it until you achieve a shape like the one shown in the picture below. Open up the Brushes Palette, (F5). Click on the New Brush Icon that is the small icon that looks like a page. Its next to the Trash Icon. A window will pop up, click on New Art Brush and hit OK. Below is a screenshot of this step.

Once the next window pops up mirror the settings in the screenshot below.

The Direction determines your stroke direction. If you keep it pointed down your head will be in the opposite direction of your stroke. The Colorization method I would prefer to be kept to Hue Shift. This will help us modify color easily according to the design we are working on. Name it and hit OK. There you have it your first simple line brush! Below is a quick example of strokes I created with this brush.

Below are some more brushes created with the same technique which will show you how different strokes will effect your outcome.

Create a Detailed Line Brush

Following the same way of creating brushes we will create some detailed brushes. There are two or more steps involved in creating them. The rest is the same as the simple line brush we just made in the last section.

We'll start by creating a few stems and leaves with the pen tool. Your results should look something like the image below. Before converting these shapes to brushes there is one more step you should follow. Check if there are some strokes in these shapes. If there are you must first expand them by going to Object >Expand. Then proceed with creating a few brushes out of our new shapes following the same steps as the previous section.

Now I will use the arc tool to draw my lines and apply the brushes.

Once I'm happy with what I have achieved I will give it shades and tones by applying different colors to the strokes.

You can now save this brush library by clicking on the small Arrow Icon attached to your Brushes Palette. Select Save Brush Library in the menu. Give it a Name and Save it. You can always recall it by going to Open Brush Library under the same menu. After opening them up, use your brushes wherever you require them.

Here's a useful tip. I like to keep a template file with me which has all my favorite brushes, symbols, and swatches all loaded which I have created ahead of time. This saves me tons of time. It allows me to concentrate on the creative design part!

Conclusion

You learned how to create and use line brushes. You learned how to draw stroke straight brushes and how to create floral brushes. Go on and apply these techniques and create your own brush library!